This invention relates to ladies' undergarments more particularly referred to as camisoles and brassiere cups. Specifically, it relates to the combination thereof, to relieve the wearer of undue confinement to the torso and to improve the appearance of the wearer's figure.
Originally, the camisole was invented to wear under and/or over a corset for various reasons. U.S Pat. No. Des. 65,172 to Jeanne D'Etreillis, "Design For A Corset Cover" (1924); and U.S. Pat. No. 54,932 to Rozy Krauziewicz, "Design For A Bodice" (1920). It was for cushioning the corset from the skin, concealing corset lines and ornamentally covering the breast for a better outward appearance.
Thereafter, improvements made to the camisole have been ones of ornamental designs. However, certain improvements of use of the camisole have been U.S. Pat. No. 1,510,388 to Louise Darling, "Garment and Shoulder Strap Therefor" (1924), claiming an adjustable shoulder strap; and U.S Pat. No. 2,274,382 to Sidney Richman, "Woman's Foundation Garment" (1942), disclosing three (3) separate and distinct garments, one of which is the camisole, and which garments can be joined together by the wearer or worn separately.
Accordingly, some women prefer to wear camisoles rather than brassieres for comfort; however, there is no breast support provided, thereby making for a poor appearance. Another way the camisole is used is by wearing it over a brassiere to prevent the brassiere from showing through outer garments. This procedure requires many garments to be worn and a total of four straps to be seen through outer garments, also making for a poor appearance.
Therefore, the use of the camisole has not changed since its intended use for the corset. The present invention not only revolutionizes the camisole but also the entire line of breast supporters.
Sometime in the late 1800s, Mary Jacobs had sewn two handkerchiefs and ribbon together to wear in place of her corset thereby inventing the brassiere. Ms. Jacobs then sold her invention, but later revisions of her basic idea did not keep to the light handkerchief material and the smoothness of ribbon. The materials of camisoles are similar to those certain initial materials used. The sole purpose of the brassiere is to support, lift and shape the breasts. The strapping around the back and pulling straps over the shoulders are unnecessary functions to support the breasts, and cause an uncomfortable binding effect.
Thereafter several hundred patents on brassieres have been filed but these rarely eliminate the binding effect. In recent articles, namely, Life Magazine, June 1989 issue, Red Book, Aug. 1989 issue, and The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, Thursday, June 8, 1989 newspaper article, it is written that women are looking for more comfort in breast support: that women like pretty, lacy brassieres; and that they do not want to suffer in them. Every brassiere has a tendency of pulling across the front, sides, and back of the wearer. The brassiere yanks around the torso, smashing and spreading the breasts to the sides and under the arms of the wearer and increasing the width of the torso.
In contrast in a camisole with brassiere cups the breasts are comfortably held in the brassiere cups, are not pulled across the upper torso, and are lifted up and outward directly in front of the wearer. The camisole with brassiere cups brings about an enhanced appearance and utmost comfort.
Long line brassieres, which are basically redesigned corsets, have no bearing on this particular invention, mainly because the camisole with brassiere cups is a loose fitting undergarment in contrast to all long line brassieres. The long line brassiere is also girdlelike in its function of binding and molding the flesh. The one and only comparison between long line brassieres and the camisole with brassiere cups is the purpose of breast support. The objective behind this present invention is to do away with binding and cumbersome methods of supporting the breast in an elegant feminine manner.
Some reasonably close prior art references found are brassiere slips, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,252,833 to Esther Cadous, "Slip" (1941), claiming among other things, ". . . a pair of side panels of one-way stretch elastic fabric joined at the sides of the slip . . . "; U.S Pat. No. 2,558,420 to Rosaria Sadye D'Amato, "Form-Fitting Bra-Slip" (1951), claiming among other things, ". . . an upper section includes adjoined breasts pockets and a back panel of elastic material . . . a form fitting bodice . . . "; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,211,549 to Miriam M. Semons, "Brassiere-Top Sleeping Garment" (1940), claiming mostly details of the construction of the breast pockets.
Consequently, the above patents are all contrary to the present invention. The camisole with brassiere cups is not form fitting; it is more of a loose fitting garment; and may contain any practicable brassiere cups. There is no need to be bound in cumbersome elastic to perform the objective of breast support. Despite any possible similarity of the above patents, the distinction between the slip and the camisole is commonly accepted among women and department stores.
Another reasonably close prior art reference that should be noted is U.S. Pat. No. Des. 260,445 to H. Scheiber, et al., "Athletic Shirt", (1981). The title "Athletic Shirt" speaks for itself. After review of the cited art in H. Scheiber's patent, the Athletic Shirt is evidently a form fitting bodice, whereas the present invention precludes any such form fitting procedures for support of the breasts. Besides one certainly would not feel formally dressed with an athletic shirt under one's finer clothes.